From: Martin Kramer
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.pictures.animals
Subject: Re: ant - ants_and_caterpillars.jpg
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 21:35:43 +0200

>I'm looking for ant's pictures ? Can you help me?
>Thank you
>

"SYMBIOTIC ANT BEHAVIORS are mediated by specialized ant organ on myrmecophilous caterpillars. At their posterior end, the caterpillars have extrudable nectray glands, which secrete an appetizing fluid for the ants to drink(left). At their anterior end, the caterpillars have tenacle organs, which release a chemical similar to an ant alarm signal. The ants immediately assume a defensive posture(right) and will protect the caterpillar from predator, such as wasps. - Scientific American, October 1992"

Scanned from Scientific American

Martin Kramer

mkramer@wxs.nl
http://home.wxs.nl/~mkramer/

filename=ants_and_caterpillars.jpg